Talking
by akan00dle
Summary: Dick tells Jason about a bad past relationship.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Warning for discussions of past abuse.

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"So what did you want to talk to me about Dickie bird?"

"Jay, there's something I want... I need to tell you," Dick was bent forwards over his lap, his hair fallen in a way that almost entirely covered his face. To say Jason was worried about his boyfriend was an understatement.

Jason took a deep breath, "Whatever it is, I'm here for you. You know that."

Dick glanced up at him and have the smallest of smiles. Jason attempted to return it but was pretty sure it looked forced.

"There was a guy I dated in high school..."

"I'm pretty sure you dated more than a few guys in high school Dickie." The serious, and concerningly sad, expression on Dick's face made Jason regret saying it the second the words left his lips. Now was definitely not the time. Jason reached forward and squeezed Dick's hand. "Go on"

"He could be absolutely amazing. took me on dates to the best places, bought be all kinds of expensive gifts, was never afraid to hold my hand and let the whole world who he was dating..." The pained expression on Dick's face was enough to tell Jason that there was more to this relationship that his boyfriend was saying.

"He could make me feel like the most special guy in the world but at other times... I don't think I've ever felt as worthless or hated myself as much as he made me feel."

Jason's heart clenched. how dare this guy. How dare anybody make Dick Grayson feel that way.

"He always knew exactly what to say to make me feel really good or really bad," Dick's voice was soft and it took Jason a moment to realise his boyfriend had continued speaking, "And when he got angry... I knew he would hurt me -couldn't of he wanted too- but I always felt so scared just from him raising his voice."

Jason was seeing red at this point. he was going to find out exactly who this bastard was and, fuvk the promise he made to Dick, he was going to shoot him between the eyes.

"Jason?"

Jason blinked and looked down at the older man. only now noticing the tears that stands his tanned cheeks.

"I'm going to kill him."

Dick's eyes widened. he recoiled at the thought. "Jason no! you promised me!" His voice was raised.

"Well that was before I knew somebody had abused you!" Jason's voice raised too and he was only made angrier by the way Dick flinched like he had done so many times before when he was yelled at; now he knew why.

"He-" Dick tried to regain some composure, "He didn't abuse me Jason."

Jason took a deep breath then sat back down, only now realising that he'd even stood.

"Then what do you call it?" Jason bent down to look Dick in the face.

"I- He never hit me or anything like that..."

"You of all people should know there's more than one kind of abuse Dickie." Jason cupped Dick's cheek in his hand, a calloused thumb brushed a tear away from his cheek.

Dick nodded slowly. he leaned forward to rest his head on Jason's shoulder.

"I hate him."

"That's okay Dickie. you're allowed to hate, especially people like him."

Dick let out a quiet sob and clutched the front of Jason's shirt.

Jason let back against the couch. he guessed killing this guy could wait... and maybe he didn't have to kill him, he wasn't sure he could do that to Dick anyway.

Jason stroked his boyfriend's hair.

"I love you. I love you and I promise I won't let anyone hurt you like that again."


	2. Chapter 2

Devin Brandock was a particularly difficult man to find. He had profiles on all the main social media websites and had lived in the same area of Gotham since high school.

Jason watched from the rooftop opposite the man's apartment complex as Devin walked back, obviously tired from a long day at his cushy office job. Yes Jason knew where he worked, he knew almost everything about this man. Jason had spent the past week finding the guy and researching him after Dick told him about the abuse and now he'd just spent the whole day following him.

Healthy? No. But when had Jason pretended to be?

He had promised Dick and himself that he wouldn't kill this asshole but that didn't mean he wasn't going to hurt him, or at least scare him real bad.

Sometimes Jason loved being the Red Hood.

Jason kept his perch for the better part of three hours. Keeping an eye on the windows he knew belonged to Devin's apartment in between rereading Wuthering Heights. He had decided to wait to make a move until it got dark.

Jason knew it was time to get going when he struggled to read the pages of his book in the darkness. He tucked it away in his inner jacket pocket and picked up and put on his iconic helmet. Now it was Red Hood's time to shine.  
He pulled out the grapple gun and shot a line to Devin's building before swinging across the street.

He wasted no time picking the lock on the roof access to get into the building then headed down the stairs to the man's apartment. He decided he didn't want to give Devin a chance to hear him coming and, when he got to his door, picked the lock as silently as he could.

He looked around the inside of Devin's apartment; a few more empty pizza boxes and beer cans than he'd expected but otherwise it looked just like his research had told him. He could hear the shower running just down the hall and considered how fun it would be to catch the man in the shower. After picturing the asshole naked for a moment, Jason sat down on the couch to wait for him. Pulling out a gun, just to make sure Devin would know he wasn't here for a friendly visit.

A few minutes later Devin walked into his living room in a towel. He stopped dead when he saw the other man sitting on his couch. Jason looked up at him and smiled behind the mask, this was going to feel good. He stood up, trying to stay as casual as possible. As soon as he did, Devin took a couple of small steps back, reaching blindly on the side table next to the doorway for anything he could try to defend himself with.

'Come on Devin, I think we both know if I was here to kill you that you'd be dead already...'

Jason walked lazily towards him. 'That said...' He pointed the gun at Devin then let his arm drop away again.

The bastard was visibly shaking now and Jason really hoped he didn't actually shit himself.

'Wh-what do you want?'

Jason kept walking until he was less than a foot away from the other man then leaned his face in close to Devin's ear.

'You've been a bad man Devin. And do you know what the Red Hood does to bad men?'

Jason was close enough to see his adam's apple bob as Devin gulped.

'P-please. I- I'll do anything.' Devin begged.

Jason couldn't help but smirk a little behind his mask.

'Oh trust me, I know.'

Jason heard the trickle of urine hitting the floor and stepped away from the other man.

'You just stand right there for a moment.' Jason walked across the living room, his gun still out and trained on Devin.

He pulled open the window and looked out at the ground, eight stories beneath them. Then walked back over to Devin.

Before the other man knew what was happening, Jason had knocked his feet out from under him and Devin was lying on the floor whimpering. Jason grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him over to the open window. HE barely acknowledged the begging and tried to ignore the fact that the towel has been left by the doorway.

Jason picked him up and seconds later, Devin was hanging out of the open window by his ankle, he was heavy but Jason was strong enough that he wasn't concerned with dropping him.

Jason leaned out of the window and looked down at the abuser, it would be so easy to just let him go but that wasn't what Jason was here for. Dick didn't want that. Jason tightened his grip.

'P-please, please don't let go!' Devin was full out sobbing now, tears and snot all over his face.

'You've been a bad man Devin. You've hurt people. You've abused people you were supposed to love. Why shouldn't I just drop you now?'

'P-p-please, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I beg you.'

'Not good enough. You've ruined lives.' It was the truth. In Jason's research, he'd found that Dick wasn't the only victim, this man was a serial abuser. His last boyfriend has ended up killing himself yet Devin has faced no consequences.

'I'm sorry! I'll change! I'll change! Pleasssse!'

Jason looked down at the sobbing man begging for his life. It was truly pathetic.

'Fine,' Jason said then pulled the man back inside where he cowered on the floor.

Jason bent down in front of his face and pulled out his gun again, holding the barrel to the side of Devin's face.

'But I'll be watching you. And if you don't, if you hurt anybody ever again, I will come back and finish the job.'

With that Jason turned and walked back out of Devin Brandock's apartment. There was a sense of satisfaction that he only got from going after the worst people there were, but still a niggling thought in the back of his mind insisted the world would've been a better place if he had just let go. He told that thought to shut up.

When Jason got back to his and Dick's shared apartment in Bludhaven his boyfriend was waiting for him.

Dick was sat on the couch in his favourite superman boxers, clutching a mug of hot cocoa that looked like it had gone cold a long time ago. Jason's laptop was open on the table in front of him. Shit. Why didn't he delete his search history?!

'What did you do to Devin?'

Jason pulled off his helmet and set it aside before going to sit in front of Dick on the couch.

'He's alive if that's what you're asking.'

Dick looked down at his cold mug and released the breath he'd been holding. Was it just him, or did the older man look a little disappointed to hear that?

Jason reached forward and cupped his boyfriend's cheek in one gloved hand. 'I had to do something Dickie.'

'I know.'

'I only scared him, I promise.'

Dick looked up and those intense blue eyes met Jason's.

Jason leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to Dick's. 'No one hurts you and get away with it.'

Dick leaned forward and rested his head against Jason's armor covered chest. 'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

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A/N: It's a little longer than expected but I imagine that's a good thing.

Kudos to anybody who figures out who Devin is named after.

To be clear, this fic was basically self-indulgence to help me cope with the emotional abuse I have suffered but I'm glad you guys have enjoyed it to.

This fic is finished but if you want to read more of my jaydick stuff the first chapter of Children is published here and I hope to update that soon.


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